The Rolle Quay Inn in Barnstaple blends rich history with modern warmth. Under new management, it offers cozy dining, community events, and delectable comfort food, proving to be a vibrant hub for locals and visitors alike. Continue reading Discover The Rolle Quay Inn: A Historic Barnstaple Pub
Sea-ing where your food comes from… During September, I had an incredible dinner at Olive Brixham – a Mediterranean kitchen and wine bar, nestled right on the water’s edge in the beautiful harbour town of Brixham, South Devon. It was an invite, ahead of the England’s Seafood Feast, a two week celebration of seafood along the English Riviera that happens annually in late September to … Continue reading Olive, Brixham – a Mediterranean kitchen and wine bar
Britain’s finally embracing staycations, and Exeter’s a hidden gem. Hotel Indigo stands out with its stylish vibe and dog-friendly policy, making your pup feel like a VIP. The food’s delicious, the staff’s friendly, and the views are stunning. It’s a chill spot for a city break with your furry friend! Continue reading Dog-Friendly Hotel Indigo in Exeter: A Perfect Getaway
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(AD) There’s something quite fascinating about naming a place after an ancient, almost mythical paradise, especially when the reality is a former restaurant that sat empty for two years. It’s a bold choice but apt given who owns it. But then, boldness is pretty much a survival trait in the hospitality world, particularly in a city like Exeter where places come and go. What’s heartening … Continue reading Arcadia by Utopian, Northernhay Place in Exeter
Introduction to Torview Wines I had the absolute joy of joining Torview Wines for their Sparkling Wine Making Day, and although this process started in October 2023, it was a year-long experience, with the collection of my wine in October 2024, ready to drink for Christmas. Now having drunk most of my wines, and with English Wine Week 2025 here – it’s time to share … Continue reading My Sparkling Red Wine Journey with Torview Wines
A recent celebration dinner had to be at family-owned Myca’s Seafood and Grill, for their sensational seafood and shellfish. We’ve not heard or read a bad word about this place, a reputation well earned, I’d say in just 2 years of being open.
So, should you spend your hard-earned dough at Myca’s?
Well… you know that smell? You know the one…. when you walk into a restaurant, and it smells sooo good and you just know you’re in for a great meal?
Read on to find out more! Continue reading Myca’s Seafood and Grill, Sidmouth
The Boutport Café in Barnstaple blends modern café culture with traditional charm, offering locally sourced food in a cozy setting. Run by award-winning chef Alex, it is highly praised for its friendly atmosphere and reasonable prices. The café is also dog-friendly and specializes in hearty breakfasts, sandwiches, and delicious sweets. Continue reading The Boutport Café: A Perfect Spot for Breakfast, Lunch and Dog Lovers
The Blue Ball has had a refurb on the menu and interior, and offers a fab setting with a well thought out menu for all. Continue reading Review: The Blue Ball Inn, Sandygate, Exeter
The team behind Swim (Lyme Regis), Rise Café Bar (West Bay), and Rise Market & Bakery (Bridport) are thrilled to announce the grand opening of their latest venture, Heydays, located at Unit 1 Sideshore, Exmouth, where Mickey’s previously operated. The new restaurant is set to open its doors in early December. Richard Cooper, Nikki Craven, Andy Briggs, and Kyle Clarke are the creative minds behind … Continue reading Introducing new restaurant ‘Heydays’ to Exmouth seafront
{AD} The largest town in the Dartmoor National Park is Ashburton, it sits at the southeastern end, not too far away from Totnes and Buckfastleigh. Apart from being the location of the prestigious Ashburton Cookery School and the final residence of renowned poet and novelist Stevie Smith. It is also the home to The Old Exeter Inn. This pub celebrates British cuisine, especially the classic pie. … Continue reading Review: The Old Exeter Inn, Ashburton
{gifted} Since the blog started, we’ve never had the opportunity to review and sample a bespoke cake, until now.
I can’t start to tell you how excited I was to drop in and collect the cake, I also got to meet the owner and cake queen Kris for a quick chat, hearing about her journey to where she is today as the owner of this fledgling company.
The Cake Corner creates bespoke custom cakes for all sorts of celebrations. Baby showers, weddings, birthdays. Unlike a lot of cake makers, Kris has a price list on her website. This makes budgeting for an event a breeze because the prices are listed.
I had a lot of flexibility and choice with flavours. I opted for a Biscoff Sponge with a salted caramel filling and mocha ganache. The buttercream was Kris’s own vanilla buttercream.
Originally from Ireland she moved around a lot as her husband is ex-services, whom she met whilst he was stationed in Ireland (also side note he has his own food based Instagram account (blake_tastes) Food runs through the family!. They finally settled down in Exeter.
Baking was always an important hobby. Once Kris had her two daughters, she enjoyed making their birthday cakes. Her friends encouraged her to. They recognized her natural talent and passion for baking. That is just what she did by starting The Cake Corner.
With over 500 miles of coastline in Devon, we’re extremely blessed to have access to incredibly fresh seafood and fish from our bountiful waters. Pair that with passionate, local businesses and you can experience a huge variety of delicious dishes or engaging experiences to immerse yourself in the stories of catch to cooker, fish to fork, seafood to supper. I recently enjoyed a day out … Continue reading Feasting on Fish by the Sea with The Seafood Feast
{AD/Invite} The village of Oakford lies at the intersection between Exmoor and the hilly valleys of Mid Devon, where the geographical echoes of moorland can be seen in the luscious forests and the steep hills that surround it. This part of Devon is topographically quite exciting. If you’re travelling from Exeter then you’ll pass through Tiverton, heading towards signs for Minehead and then a left, … Continue reading The Red Lion Hotel, Oakford
A few weeks back I received an Instragram message from an account with videos showing a knife being deftly plunged into almighty cheesecakes and photos of these cloud-like desserts set upon a rustic wooden counter, and greaseproof paper – they lured me in, they caught my attention. This was a ‘Basque Burnt cheesecake’ and the account belonged to @kikodevon, something I’d personally never tried but … Continue reading Savour Epicurean Joy: Discovering Kiko’s Irresistible Basque Cheesecakes in Totnes
A couple of weeks ago we dropped into Exmouth’s newest fine dining restaurant. La Mar opened on Christmas Day 2023 after an extensive renovation and face-lift to what had previously been the function room of its sister business, The Beach pub next door. The space has blossomed into a fine dining restaurant with a panoramic scenes inviting natural light through big windows and treating diners … Continue reading REVIEW: La Mar, Exmouth Marina
(AD/ PR Visit) Hotel Du Vin own a number of boutique lifestyle hotels across the UK, 29 to be exact. They are towards the upper end of the spectrum when it comes to hotels in expectations, price and what you get and likewise the restaurants are aimed towards that upper price point ‘Serving classical French dishes with a modern British twist’. Its been open a … Continue reading REVIEW: Hotel Du Vin, Exeter (Bistro Du Vin)
It is reassuring that there are still outstanding pubs in Exeter and the surrounding areas. Anyone with an interest in the hospitality industry, much like myself, is deeply concerned about the increasing closure of pubs in the UK. This trend can be attributed to the impact of the economy, the cost of living crisis, and shifts in public habits. The statistics surrounding pub closures evoke … Continue reading REVIEW: The Lord Nelson Pub & Kitchen, Topsham
I recently enjoyed dinner and an overnight stay at the newly opened Mercure Paignton with my husband and son. This was a #invited experience, thanks to their PR company, following the opening of this £30 million new build. The Hotel The hotel is well placed across the road from Paignton seafront with views of the pier and in walking distance to plenty of seaside fun … Continue reading Dinner & Stay at Mercure Hotel, Paignton
We recently had a cracking meal (read our feature here) at The City Gate, a hotel & gastropub in Exeter which recently introduced a smashing new menu. The City Gate Hotel stands above many other brewery-owned pubs due to its unwavering commitment to utilizing local and British ingredients, ensuring a fresh and authentic dining experience. Its beer garden is one of the nicest in Exeter … Continue reading 10 Questions with Andy & Chef Al Morgan from The City Gate Hotel, in Exeter
The last two months have been a busy time with lots of exciting opportunities to meet, eat and shout about the fabulous food in our area. This Highlight post is a little different as we have a little section at the end ‘In Other News’ which will flesh out with foodie events and goings on around the county along with a round-up of what we’ve … Continue reading March / April Highlights
